Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S20+
The Quick Answer
Both flagship phones deliver premium experiences, though they cater to different priorities.
The Verdict
Both flagship phones deliver premium experiences, though they cater to different priorities. The iPhone 13 Pro Max features Apple's A15 Bionic chip paired with 6GB RAM, delivering exceptional single-threaded performance and iOS 15's refined ecosystem. Its 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display maxes out at 1000 nits with LTPO 120Hz technology, offering excellent color accuracy and smoothness. The camera system excels with Dolby Vision ProRes recording at 4K@60fps, a standout feature for videographers, plus reliable 3x telephoto performance. Battery capacity sits at 4352 mAh with 27W wired and 15W MagSafe charging. The Samsung Galaxy S20+ counters with a larger 4500 mAh battery, brighter 1200-nit AMOLED display at sharper 1440p resolution, and more RAM at 12GB. Its Snapdragon 865 processor handles multitasking smoothly, while the camera system boasts a superior 64MP telephoto with 3x hybrid zoom and 8K video recording capability at 24fps. The S20+ weighs 52 grams less at 186g, and offers USB-C versus Lightning. iPhone 13 Pro Max edges ahead for video professionals and iOS devotees seeking cutting-edge processing power, while the Galaxy S20+ appeals to Android users wanting more RAM, superior display brightness, and longer battery life. Choose the iPhone for video production quality and performance consistency; select Samsung for display specs, battery capacity, and Android flexibility.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max if…
- →ProMotion 120Hz display arrived for first time on iPhone Pro
- →Best-in-class battery life among 2021 iPhones
- →ProRes video recording up to 4K
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20+ if…
- →QHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display
- →5G connectivity
- →microSD card slot retained
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Pros
- ProMotion 120Hz display arrived for first time on iPhone Pro
- Best-in-class battery life among 2021 iPhones
- ProRes video recording up to 4K
- Macro photography with ultrawide camera
- Cinematic mode for shallow depth-of-field video
Cons
- Very heavy at 238 g
- Notch still present despite slimmed-down design
- Lightning connector limiting transfer speeds
- Large size is unwieldy for smaller hands
Samsung Galaxy S20+
Pros
- QHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display
- 5G connectivity
- microSD card slot retained
- 12 GB RAM for multitasking
- Good triple camera system
Cons
- 120Hz locked to FHD+ at launch
- $1199 starting price was high
- Slow 25W charging
- DepthVision ToF sensor rarely useful
- Fingerprint sensor sometimes slow
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S20+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 15 | Android 10, One UI 2.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 238 g | 186 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 6 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65 mm | 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 10 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision ProRes | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP 3x | 64 MP, f/2.0, 3x hybrid zoom |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4352 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, LTPO | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2778 x 1284 | 3200 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1000 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core) | Adreno 650 |
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
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